Osmeña to help family of accident victim

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor Margarita Osmeña said they will give financial aid to the family of Fe Casallas who was run over by a car owned by her husband, former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña, in Lapu-Lapu City Saturday night.  

She, however, did not specify the amount and said Casallas’ family has not contacted her yet as of yesterday. She said they can get in touch with her anytime.

“We are not hiding anything. In fact, there were so many witnesses naman. It was not that isolated dark night… it was so full of people there and they all saw what happened,” she said.

She said she was in a separate car right behind Tomas’ vehicle when the incident happened.

“Tommy and I were in separate cars. When we left, we were in separate cars. I always read in the car. Tommy is watching his DVDs. I was shocked when my car suddenly stopped. And I heard my driver saying ‘hala’,” she recalled.

She said her driver told her a motorcycle overtook her car and that of Tomas.’

The man on board the motorcycle was identified as Danny Igot, 45, a resident of Barangay Mactan.

Initial investigation revealed Igot was driving fast and hit on the motorcycle ridden by the Casallas and her husband.

Because of the impact, Casallas was thrown off the motorcycle unto the street and got hit by Tomas’ car travelling behind. 

Casallas was brought to the Mactan Doctor’s Hospital but did not make it there alive. Her husband, Wilson, and Igot, are recuperating at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

“When he (Igot) overtook Tommy’s car, he crossed the line,” she said, noting that the road only has one lane for vehicles heading north and another for those heading south.

“When he crossed, there was an oncoming motor with a couple, male and female. None of them was wearing helmets. The impact must have been so strong that girl flew from the other side (where Tomas and Margot were travelling). The girl hit the hood of Tommy’s car and because of that, she went under the car. Everybody stopped,” she said.

“It was so bad. When I saw the girl, I said she’s not gonna make it,” she said.

The Osmeña couple came from a dinner at the Shangri-la’s Mactan Resort and Spa.

Osmeña said both Tomas and his driver are willing to appear before the police if asked to do so.

At the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, PO2 Jennifer Dacatoria said they are just waiting for the two to go to the station.

“Aside from Igot who initially clashed its motorcycle to the couple’s motorcycle, Osmeña’s driver is also accountable to the incident because the wheels of his vehicle ran over the victim’s body identified as Fe Casallas,” Dacatoria said.

Dacatoria said Igot may face charges for reckless driving resulting in homicide, serious physical injuries, and damage to property if the victim’s family will file a complaint against him.

Hotline

Osmeña said Tomas had difficulty contacting the hotline of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF) at that time since they did not have a landline with them at that time.

She said they waited for over 25 minutes at the area.

She said she will ask ERUF to consider providing the public a mobile number, as well. —/JMO  (FREEMAN)